


A Living Nightmare

by k_howard_is_here



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Beheaded Cousins, Family, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Night Terrors, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:14:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23672143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/k_howard_is_here/pseuds/k_howard_is_here
Summary: Emotionally scarred and left terrified to close her eyes at night, Kitty takes drastic measures in a bid to fend off her traumatic nightmares. But is it worth the price?
Comments: 8
Kudos: 104





	A Living Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fic I have been working on for some time - I really hope you all like it!

Katherine had no idea how she’d got there.

The imposing stone fortress in front of her sent a deep chill down her spine. It was strangely familiar – she sensed that she’d been there before – but she couldn’t summon any memory of it. Even on this pleasant and bright Spring day, the mighty, defensive walls encompassing the castle sent out a bold statement: these walls were designed to be impermeable, to protect and conceal. Who knew what deep secrets were kept; what dark deeds were committed behind those very walls? As she approached the wrought iron gates, curiosity getting the better of her, Katherine didn’t realise she was unwittingly away to find out.

A crowd had congregated by the central tower, where there was a large, open green space of lawn and paving. Despite the sense of foreboding that washed over her as she got closer, Katherine felt compelled to see what the commotion was about. She excused herself politely as she slipped through the crowd and found herself looking up at a raised wooden platform. A scaffold.

She felt a lump form in her throat; the air suddenly becoming colder. Standing there, at the front of this small crowd, she suddenly felt exposed and vulnerable. Around her, the atmosphere seemed suppressed and constrained: there was no real excitement or enthusiasm for his particular gathering, no cheerful conversation or laughter. Katherine was finding it very disconcerting.

A hush fell over the crowd as a young girl was escorted towards the scaffold. She was dressed elegantly, in a fine grey damask robe, the mantle trimmed with ermine fur, a gable hood concealing her face. _Ermine fur was reserved for royalty._ It was a silent acknowledgement that stunned Katherine as it flitted through her mind. Where did she learn that? But she didn’t have much time to think, as the girl slowly dropped her hood, revealing tumbling dark hair and a shockingly familiar face. Katherine gasped in horror, instinctively crying out.

“Annie!”

Having been careful to maintain her composure as she had been led out, that unmistakable voice made Anne falter. She lifted her brown eyes and, as she locked eyes with Katherine in the crowd, paled, her eyes widening with fear.

“Kitty?”

As the scene descended into panic and confusion, several guards moved forward to seize Anne. They needed to ensure the deed was done, and swiftly. Anne frantically tried to resist, trying desperately to free herself. She couldn’t have her baby cousin witness this.

But she quickly realised that resistance was futile as the guards overpowered her, thrusting her down to her knees, now at the mercy of the executioner. With tears streaming down her face, Anne obediently rested her head on the block, resigning to her fate. All the while, she begged Kitty to turn around, to look away. Below, Katherine blindly screamed and thrashed as two men battled to restrain her, trying desperately to pull her away from the scene.

But their efforts were in vain. They watched in apprehension as the executioner prepared to deliver the brutal sentence.

Katherine gave a shriek as the blade of the sword came down.

* * *

“No!”

The blood-curding scream from Kitty’s bedroom ripped through the silence that had settled throughout the house. It startled everyone awake, but it was Jane who immediately leapt from her bed and rushed into the younger girl’s room, where she found her wailing and thrashing hysterically, tangled in her bed sheets.

“They killed her! They killed her!”

Jane tried to mask her concern and leant over the girl, restraining her arms as they flailed wildly, wanting to prevent her from potentially hurting herself. Seeing Jane struggle as she watched from the doorway, her small frame not strong enough to pin the distressed girl down alone, Catherine wordlessly joined her side to take an arm, calm yet assertive. They waited several minutes until Kitty finally stopped resisting, Jane pulling her close to her chest for comfort. There was nothing else to do until she broke from the delirium. Jane listened carefully as the girl’s incoherent mumbling began to stop, as her erratic breathing began to settle and her tears subsided. Finally, as if an invisible grip released her, Kitty’s tense body relaxed, sinking into Jane’s. All the while, Jane continued to stroke her hair soothingly as she whispered reassuringly into her ear.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re safe.”

Catherine, perched beside her on the bed, laid a gentle hand on her arm. “I’ll go and run the bath,” she murmured, before quietly slipping out of the room.

Over time, Jane had grown accustomed to Kitty waking from nightmares and was therefore well prepared and rehearsed to deal with the aftermath. It broke her heart that this was a regular occurrence; that she had to console Kitty most nights. She never seemed to get a respite from the horrific dreams that plagued her. This occasion, however, despite her seemingly unwavering composure, had frightened her. This had been a much more intense spell than the norm. Whilst often waking confounded and disoriented, Kitty was never usually so detached from the present. This particular night terror had been so deep and intense that it had control over her, almost like a seizure.

After a few more minutes sat in silence, Jane pulled away slowly, tucking a strand of hair behind Kitty’s ear. The girl was frightfully pale and still trembling slightly. “Come on, let’s get you into the bath.”

Taking Kitty’s clammy hand, she gently steered her to the bathroom, where Catherine had prepared a warm, soothing bath. She helped Jane carefully undress the girl, her pyjamas soaked with sweat, before aiding her into the tub to sponge her down. Despite Catherine’s attempt at gentle conversation, Kitty remained unresponsive. She noted the girl’s distant stare, her eyes glassy as if she were in a trance. She didn’t flinch at their touch and showed no indication of hearing their words. It was like Kitty had disassociated herself from reality. Jane, growing more concerned as this apparent absent state continued, wondered if it was her body’s response to trauma, almost like a fight-or-flight mode, to try and protect her.

The pair dried her off with fresh, fluffy towels and dressed her in newly laundered pyjamas. Jane gingerly brushed Kitty’s long hair in the mirror, before planting a soft kiss on the girl’s head. Giving thanks to Catherine, she put an arm around Kitty, guiding her to her cousin’s bedroom. “Let’s go and see Anne, shall we? Maybe she can help you settle back down again.”

Anne and Kitty were as thick as thieves, sharing a special bond the others did not. Anne was particularly protective of her younger cousin, what with her being the most sensitive and quieter of the Queens. Quite often, Jane would find the pair curled up together in bed, taking comfort in each other’s company.

Giving the door a knock before entering, Jane found Anne waiting in anticipation on her bed, her knees drawn up to her chest, her blanket wrapped around her. The sight of her cousin seemed to ground Kitty as a flicker of recognition lit up her face. The girl sunk to her knees, suddenly overcome with emotion, and began to cry, prompting Anne to leap up and envelope her in a warm hug. After a moment, Anne lifted Kitty up by the arm and guided her to her bed. Filled with relief, Jane silently closed the door, leaving the two girls in peace.

“You okay?” Anne asked, tugging the covers up over the cousin to keep her warm and make her feel safe. Her baby’s cousin’s sobs and screams most nights made her stomach twist. She would do anything to take away the anguish and distress those visions inevitably caused. She hated seeing her so vulnerable, so terrified.

Kitty simply nodded, nestling in close to her, enough so she could hear Anne’s heart beating in her chest.

She was alive.

She was safe.

* * *

The thought of going to sleep each night filled Kitty with overwhelming dread. Sleep was where her nightmares took her prisoner; where she was at their mercy as they shackled her in their malicious chains to torture and torment her. A time where most people sought relief after a tiring day was one that she fought desperately to avoid. Where she received no comfort or solace, only trauma and turmoil. Her almost nightly ordeal was one of the reasons she questioned her very existence. Why had she been reincarnated? Wasn’t the whole point of reincarnation so you could start again, afresh? It kind of lost it’s purpose if you still have to relive traumatising excerpts of your past life in your sleep. Her only blessing was that by morning, the vivid images from her dreams faded, leaving Kitty only with the unnerving feeling that she’d experienced something terrible. But this particular episode remained intact, albeit fragmented, in her mind. As she joined the other Queens at the breakfast table the next morning, Anne’s face still flashed into her mind, followed by a scream.

She had tried every remedy – she had soaked in an unwinding bath before bed, she would read a light-hearted novel and had even tried falling asleep to relaxing music. But nothing kept her demons at bay.

The nightmare with Anne was the last straw – she _needed_ to find a way to make them stop.

She knew, as she silently helped herself to toast, that her nightmare last night had been worse than normal. She didn’t need Jane’s extra attentiveness and sympathetic looks to tell her that, although it certainly wasn’t helping. The ordeal had left her drained and Jane could see it from the way the girl vacantly stared into space, totally zoned out, as she nibbled mindlessly on her toast. That, and being lost in her thoughts, trying to decipher what had happened last night.

“Kitty?” Cathy asked softly. “Would you like some tea?” She lifted up the teapot so to catch her attention, giving a little smile.

Cathy had still been awake when she heard Kitty’s shriek, writing yet more notes at her desk, armed with her fifth mug of coffee. Unhealthy as it perhaps was – staying up to ungodly hours of the morning – it was when Cathy found herself at her most productive. Kitty’s scream had made her jump, her heart fluttering in her chest. Her heart truly ached for the youngest Queen: she’d had it rough from the start and yet, the poor soul couldn’t even get a full night’s sleep without being disturbed by God knows only what unspeakable things. No wonder the girl was so troubled.

Kitty finally looked her in the eye, breaking free from her thoughts, and nodded, passing over her mug. She forced a smile of thanks, before pulling the mug close to her chest as she folded back in on herself.

Once finished, she silently retreated to her bedroom, flopping onto her bed with a sigh. She hated all the pitiful looks they gave her, how they all carefully tiptoed around her, afraid one wrong move would wreak havoc, like she was susceptible to break at any moment, like a china doll. Which, she had to admit, wasn’t too far off. She knew she couldn’t go on like this. Not only was it physically and mentally exhausting but it was also pushing her to breaking point. She felt too much in this small little room. Everything was getting too big. Too much. She felt like she was suffocating. No, drowning.

It was only a matter of time before these dreams consumed her and didn’t spit her out.

She needed to find a solution, and fast.

* * *

She waited to hear Cathy go out – whilst everyone assumed she hadn’t been listening to their conversations during breakfast, she had in fact picked up Cathy was going to the bookstore to meet a potential publisher – before slipping into the writer’s bedroom. She flipped open Cathy’s laptop. She felt guilty using it without asking, but she couldn’t afford to raise suspicion. She needed to do this without the others finding out.

  
Her fingers gliding surprisingly easily over the keys, Kitty began to search for answers. She trawled through website after website, and soon began to see a repetition. She found several mentions of the drug prazosin being an effective treatment for traumatic nightmares. She read a few testimonials that made her hopeful:  
  
_“This drug changed my life! I’ve never slept better!” ~ Susan B, Essex  
  
“Prazosin is revolutionary as a solution to all sleep-related issues! Bad dreams will be a thing of the past and people will finally get the good night’s sleep they require to function efficiently through day-to-day life” ~ Dr. Ken Park, Physician of Cambridge University Hospital_

_“Bad dreams used to rule my life. Now, thanks to prazosin, I’m back in charge!” ~ Sophie E, Bristol_

Suddenly excited at the thought of peaceful night’s sleep, Kitty read a few more testimonials before adding the pills to her basket. She skipped past the side-effects; if this drug worked at relieving her nightmares and allowed her to sleep, she was sure she could tolerate a minor headache or feeling a little drowsy. Heck, it couldn’t make her any more exhausted than she already was. She filled in the delivery and billing details, careful to include a note in the “Delivery Instructions” box: Hide in a safe place - garden bin. Checking out using her bank card, Kitty breathed a sigh of relief. Shutting down Cathy’s laptop, she skipped back to her bedroom. Now, all she had to do was wait.

* * *

The day after Kitty took her first dose of the pills, she woke up feeling awful. She’d been forced to lie back down in bed: any attempt to rise caused the room to violently spin, causing her to feel lightheaded and nauseous. She vaguely remembered skimming an article mentioning these symptoms were common after the initial dose, so she tried not to worry as she buried herself back under the covers. When she failed to appear for breakfast, a concerned Jane peeked into her room. Finding the girl curled up fast asleep, she assumed she’d had a rough night again and decided not to disturb her. Kitty had been looking particularly worn-out lately, so the extra rest was probably warranted.

By the afternoon, Kitty was finally able to get out of bed, albeit slowly, taking care not to make any sudden, sharp movements. She spent the rest of the day lounging in front of the TV, wrapped in her blanket, still feeling the effects of the pills. She phoned in sick to work so that her alternate could be informed and arranged to perform in her absence, then worked on dismissing Jane’s worries. Jane was insistent that she stay at home to care for her, but Kitty wasn’t having any of it. She didn’t need her hovering over her, checking in every hour or so like she was a patient at a hospital.

“I’m just run down and tired,” Kitty assured. “All the broken sleep is just catching up with me.”

Thankfully, it seemed to work and Jane reluctantly headed out to the show with the rest of the Queens, assuring her mobile would be on loud in case she needed to call. Kitty waited half an hour to be safe, before taking her next dose, praying the side effects were kinder to her tomorrow. She knew that any prolonged illness would raise suspicion and risk Jane having her make a doctor’s appointment, which would in turn potentially reveal her secret.

Fortunately, the next few days went much smoother, with only a niggling headache proving to be bothersome. But that was easily fixed: a paracetamol tablet and Kitty was off to work. The rest of the Queens were still oblivious. What was even more exciting to Kitty however, was her nightmares, or lack thereof. They were becoming less vivid, less intense and, most importantly, less frequent. She even had two nights consecutively of unbroken sleep! Kitty couldn’t recall the last time she could say that had happened.

Suddenly, there was hope for Kitty.

She just had to keep it quiet. For now.

* * *

“Kitty? Are you okay?”

Catherine watched with deep concern as the younger girl stumbled frantically over to the kitchen sink, clutching the sides. Realising she was away to be sick, she swiftly rose from her seat at the table, where she’d been enjoying her usual leisure time perusing her magazine, and pulled back her hair. Coughing and gasping for air, Kitty finally relaxed. Catherine pulled out a chair for her and eased her down, pouring her a glass of water.

“Feeling better?”

Kitty nodded, although she was still feeling nauseous. Her stomach had been churning since she woke, and she had been relieved that most of the Queens had volunteered to help Jane with the food shop, however she’d forgot Catherine had stayed behind. Too late now: she’d just have to make an excuse.

Kitty’s recent bouts of sickness and slight change in behaviour had not gone unnoticed to Catherine. She’d been meaning to discuss it with Jane, as she was growing worried for the younger girl. She had never been quite right since that fateful evening.

“Why don’t you head on back up to bed? I’ll wake you up later for lunch to see if you’re up for it?”

“No!” Kitty blurted out, almost too quickly. “No, really I’m fine. I’m feeling much better now. Must have been something I ate,” she dismissed.

_If you’d eaten anything substantial the night before_ , Catherine thought, raising an eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

Catherine’s soft, delicate voice and genuine concern almost made Kitty want to confess. But no, she’d come too far to ruin it now. She had to keep it quiet.

‘Yeah, I’m fine, honest.”

But as Kitty rose to head back to her room, her legs buckled beneath her, her vision blackening out. Catherine broke her fall, catching her and gently lying her down on the cool kitchen floor.

“Just take some deep breaths, Kitty. You’ll be fine in a minute.”

She felt the Spanish Queen’s hand gently stroke her hair soothingly. Kitty closed her eyes, begging for all this to stop. After a moment, she gingerly lifted herself from the floor, as Catherine guided her back to the chair.

“You’re definitely listening to me this time. We’re taking you up to bed.”

At that, Catherine helped her upstairs and tucked her into bed.

“Get some rest,” Catherine said, as she closed the door behind her. “I’ll bring you up some soup later.”

* * *

Despite her best efforts, it didn’t take long for Kitty’s secret to be revealed. A week later, now feeling much better and free from side-effects, she had hoped it would have been plain sailing from then on.

How wrong she had been.

“I just wanted them to stop!” Kitty cried, her desperation clear in her voice, even as she buried her head in her hands, curled up against the wall. “I just wanted to close my eyes and not see those horrible things!”

Now Kitty was cursing her carelessness. She’d taken her last pill from the first bottle and had foolishly tossed it into the bathroom bin, assuming it was safe giving everyone just unconsciously threw rubbish in without paying much heed to its contents. But the yellow bottle had caught Cathy’s eye. She noted down the name of the contents and researched it online. She was stunned to find it was an alpha-blocker, predominantly prescribed to treat high blood pressure. But when she delved in further, she also discovered it was also used in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. That got her thinking. Trawling back her search history, she was shocked at the list of pages and pages of searches for the specific drug. She traced back to the final page visited regarding the drug: an online pharmacy check-out page. Cathy clicked into the name field, the auto-fill revealing a familiar name:

_Katherine Howard._

It was how Kitty found herself now being confronted by the writer in her bedroom. Cathy had only had to reveal the pill bottle for Kitty to falter, her face paling.

Now, still clutching the bottle, she relaxed a little. “Kit…” her voice softened as she knelt down to the younger girl’s level. “There are ways to get help. But you can’t just go and order pills online. You need to have these properly prescribed by a doctor or a psychiatrist. You have no idea how these have been made, what’s actually in then…they could be really harmful.”

Cathy rested a gentle hand on Kitty’s knee. “I know you were just trying to fix things. But you need to talk to us. We can help.”

After a moment, wiping away her tears, Kitty finally looked up. “Are you going to tell Jane?” She knew Jane was going to be so disappointed in her and that hurt her more than anything.

But, to her surprise, Cathy shook her head. “No, I won’t. It’s not my place to tell her.” She helped Kitty back to her feet, handing her back the empty pill bottle. “But you should. She’ll understand.”

“I’m sorry,” Kitty sniffed, looking defeated and miserable. She was sorry for everything: for using her laptop without permission, for using it to purchase the drug, for hiding a secret from them all.

Cathy wrapped her in a hug. It was then Kitty noticed Anne standing bewildered in the doorway, and gasped. She’d heard everything.

“Annie!”

She frantically chased after her cousin as Anne darted out of the room. As she reached her bedroom, she spun around. “Are you fucking stupid?” she retorted, her face twisted in anger.

“Annie, please, I didn’t-“

But Anne just shook her head in disgust, slamming the door in her face. Cathy caught Kitty as she sunk to her knees, sobbing. How has everything unravelled so quickly?

Hearing the commotion, Jane and Anna hurried upstairs. “What’s going on?” Jane asked, casting a concerned look at Cathy and Kitty.

“Kitty read some of Anne’s diary without her knowing,” Cathy said without hesitation, quickly conjuring a credible excuse, as Kitty desperately tried to wipe away her tears. “Anne just need a minute.”

Deciding it wasn’t right to pry on the girls’ personal matters, Jane sighed. She knew they’d reconcile quickly: they always did when they had their bickering and minor disputes. At that, she shooed Anna back downstairs with her, back down to the lounge with Catherine, who, quite wisely, preferred to stay away from all the drama. 

“Thank you,” Kitty mumbled, turning her attention back to Cathy.

“No worries,” the writer shrugged. She watched as Kitty returned to her bedroom, sinking back onto her bed, despondent. Lingering by the door, she decided to offer up some reassurance.

“You know Anne, Kit. She’ll come around. She’s just angry because she found out the wrong way. It’s unfortunate but if you explain the reason why I’m sure she’ll understand.”

“What if she tells the others?” Kitty bit her lip nervously. If the other Queens were to find out, she’d much rather it came from her. After all, it was she who had gone behind their backs.

“I’ll have a word,” Cathy said. “And Kit?”

Kitty lifted her head.

“Your secret is safe with me, until you feel the time is right.”

* * *

That night, once everyone had retired to their respective rooms, Kitty took the opportunity to talk to Jane alone. She trusted Cathy wholeheartedly but she feared Anne, in her agitated state, would perhaps decide to offload on the others at the breakfast table in the morning if she didn’t try to rectify things. So first, she would confide in Jane. Then, she’d seek forgiveness from Anne. Knocking on Jane’s bedroom door tentatively, Kitty fiddled with the pill bottle in her hand.

“Come in, love,” came Jane’s sing-song tone.

Kitty slowly opened the door, closing it gently behind her, as Jane turned to see her, giving her a friendly smile as she continued folding away some clothes. When the girl didn’t speak and continued to hover nervously by the door, however, she sensed something was up.

“Are you alright, sweetheart?” she asked, furrowing her brow in concern.

Despite telling herself that she wouldn’t cry, Kitty felt the tears prick at her eyes. She clenched her fists, annoyed at herself and preparing for the unbearable: she knew Jane was going to be upset by what she had done.

“Oh, Kitty,” Seeing the younger girl visibly upset, Jane dropped what she was doing and ushered her to sit on her bed, wrapping a comforting arm around her. “Whatever’s the matter?”

Kitty had recited what she was going to say a thousand times. But suddenly, the words evaded her. “You’re going to be so mad at me,” she sobbed.

At that, the older girl gripped her hands, giving them a reassuring squeeze, forcing her to look into her eyes. “Hey, you can tell me anything, you know that,” she said soothingly, keeping her usual calm composure.

Finally, Kitty sighed. “I bought some pills online. To try and stop the nightmares. I know I shouldn’t have done it. I’m sorry!” she blurted out. As soon as the words were out, she immediately shut her eyes, bracing herself for the torrent of rage.

But it didn’t come.

“Kitty, sweetheart,” Jane shook her head. “I’m not angry at you. I want you to know that now, okay?”

“You’re not?” The relief on her face made Jane’s heart wrench. The girl had clearly been worried of the consequences, thinking she was going to get a firm lecturing. But she knew, despite being stunned by Kitty’s actions, scolding the girl and getting angry wouldn’t solve anything. It wasn’t what Kitty needed right now. She needed love and support. After all, she had come on her own accord to confide in her.

Jane shook her head.

Kitty produced the empty pill bottle that Cathy had discovered. The tears started to fall freely again. She felt so guilty going behind their backs, but she didn’t think they’d understand. It hadn’t helped that Anne had reacted so badly.

“Cathy found the bottle earlier…” Kitty explained. “When she spoke to me about it, Annie heard everything…”

“So that’s why you were so upset earlier.”

Kitty nodded. “She’s still not talking to me.” Then, after a moment’s hesitation added: “It’s also why I haven’t been feeling great lately.”

“These pills have been causing the nausea and the fainting spells?”

It was inevitable that Catherine would tell her about her sickness and collapse. Kitty had brushed it off as a bug and said that if she didn’t feel better the next day, she’d phone the doctor. It had been enough to satisfy Jane, although she had continued to fuss her. Thankfully, the next week had been a huge improvement.

Jane took a moment to consider what to say. “I can’t begin to imagine what every night is like for you and how frightening it is. But I’ve always been here for you and that’s never going to change. But, and I’m sure Cathy had already told you this, we need to do it properly. If you want, we can make an appointment to see the local doctor and talk things through with her and see what advice she can provide to help? Or you can take someone else. But it might make you feel better having someone with you.”

Kitty nodded her head vehemently. It’s what she should have done from the start, but she’d been too scared to say, to admit she needed their help.

“I’m sorry,” Kitty said, another tear trailing down her cheek.

Jane pulled her into a hug. “It’s alright. But just promise me you won’t take any more of these pills, okay? You can phone the doctor in the morning.”

“What about Annie?”

The blonde pulled away, kissing the girl on the head. “She’ll come around,” she reassured.

Relieved to have finally confessed, Kitty smiled and bid Jane goodnight.

She could only pray things went as smoothly with Anne.

* * *

Later that night, Kitty snuck out of bed and made her way to Anne’s bedroom. She couldn’t sleep without at least attempting to resolve things with her. She hesitated at the door, before giving it a gentle tap.

“Annie?” Her voice was small, almost pitiful.

When there was no response from Anne, Kitty tentatively tried again. “Annie…I’m sorry.”

Crestfallen, Kitty accepted Anne didn’t want anything to do with her and turned to head back to her room. Then, she heard a creak as the door opened. Anne looked less than enthused, yet she opened the door further, gesturing with a tilt of her head for her cousin to come in.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Kitty was surprised when Anne spoke; her voice not full of anger but more bitter, with disappointment. She’d turned her back to her, her eyes cast on the floor.

“That night when I had that really bad nightmare, when Jane took me to your room? I had a dream about you. I don’t remember what actually happened, I just know it was bad.”

As she listened, Anne could already hazard a guess at what Kitty’s dream had been. It sent a shiver down her spine.

“I didn’t tell anyone because I was scared. I was scared nobody would understand, how desperate I was to get rid of these…visions. Plus, I knew you’d get mad and I was right!”

“I’m mad at you for being so stupid!” Finally, Anne whirled around to look at her cousin. “Because I care about you! Those pills could have really harmed you, Kit! They could have made you really ill.”

Anne, despite herself, pulled Kitty into a tight hug. “I love you, that’s why I got mad,” she mumbled, her head buried into her shoulder.

“I’m going to call the doctor tomorrow. I won’t take any more of those pills, I swear.”

After a moment, Anne pulled away, gripping Kitty’s hand.

“We’re going to fix this together,” she vowed.

“Beheaded cousins, right?”

**Author's Note:**

> I've worked so long on this one and I was really excited and relieved to finally publish it. Please let me know what your thoughts are in the comments and, as always kudos is always appreciated!
> 
> Thank you for reading! :3


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